How to Look Ten Pounds Lighter on the Beach

Everyone has a pet peeve about his or her body, even top models that look fantastic to the rest of us. At the beach, we all tend to be at our most vulnerable and least confident. That's just human nature. All the same, read on to learn how to look pounds lighter on the beach.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Dress to Flatter your Body Type

1. Slather on the faux tan. You will always look better with a healthy glow, especially when you are sitting on a beach in Florida and where everyone seems to have a glowing, month-old tan. It can also makes cellulite a lot less noticeable, evening out your skin tone and taking pounds off you.

2. Choose a swimsuit that is suited to your body type. There are some wonderful swimsuits and bikinis that are made for fuller figures; these are specifically designed to flatter this body type. Some suits are designed to highlight certain features, like a plunging cleavage, while drawing attention away from others less flattering features, such as a tummy bulge.

3. Choose plain, block colors for your swimwear. They are often better at disguising wide hips and curvy tummies. If you are large at the top, then stick with the solid colors.

4. Don't fall for the myth that shorts-styled bikini bottoms are going to be more flattering just because there is more material. This is not always the case. Sometimes the cut and shape can actually make the hips look broader.

5. Try on each swimsuit or bikini before you buy it. Ideally, take along an honest friend who can give you an honest critique.

6. A loosely-draped sarong is your friend! Enough said.

Pose your Body to Take Pounds off your Silhouette

7. 
    

   Keep in mind that the way that you position your body while you are at the beach is desperately important. Do not think for one minute that you can relax and forget about this. Do not plop down on your backside and lean forward with your legs just lying anywhere. Slouching in this manner will add pounds to your tummy and heaven only knows what is going on in the thigh area.

8. 
    

   Sit with your legs together-often the best option for decorum reasons, anyway-with your knees slightly bent. Bending one knee a little more than the other always looks good. Sitting in this position will lift your thighs off the ground and lessen the bulging effect.

9. 
    

   Place your hands in the sand behind you, and lean back. Your tummy will instantly be flatter. You cannot do much reading or eating in this position, but you will look pounds slimmer.

10. 
     

    To lie down on your back and sunbathe, discreetly dig a hole discreetly in the sand, and place your towel over it. This is for your behind to fit into so that its actual size is camouflaged. Do this with the utmost of discretion, however. Digging away with a children’s spade and measuring the size of hole required will ruin the illusion.

11. 
     

    Keep your arms away from your body as you sunbathe lying on your back. This lessens the squashing effect on your upper arms, which holding them next to your body usually has. If possible, stretch them above your head in a casually relaxed fashion. This will minimize any flab you may have on your upper arms, while stretching out your tummy muscles.

12. If you may have your picture taken, a well-placed prop can hide some of the pounds. A beach ball, for example, can come in very handy.